top of page
Voyager Space
Nanoracks LLC
Moon Gallery Foundation

status:

Formations of the cup and the rock

Elina Alekseeva

2022

Selenite

1 x 1 x 1 cm

Mineral sculpture inspired by the processes of rock-water interactions, and our perception of reality behind the naming of things.

Formations of the cup and the rock

Mineral sculpture inspired by the processes of rock-water interactions, and our

perception of reality behind the naming of things. Selenite, literally the stone of the

moon – selēnē, got its name due to its shine, translucency and prismatic, multifaceted

structure. Soft stone, that can be easily scratched with a ngernail, also quickly

dissolves and deconstructs in contact with water.


As a child, I remembered a saying of my grandmother: when the moon lays like a cup that spills water, it will probably rain. This little connection embraces the complexities behind the names and meanings preserved in languages and stories: memorization of the seasons and weather, and naming of materials after visual metaphors.


Still, a cup for water made of the moon-stone is impossible.


Playing with the idea of this interaction, I exposed selenite pieces to small drops of liquid, that over time formed a cup-looking deepening. A little ode to the formations of matter, and shared views of the world, inseparable from our imagination.

Elina Alekseeva

Elina Alekseeva

Russia

Collection:

Moon Gallery

Moon Gallery Foundation

Moon Gallery

Full Record Details

Formations of the cup and the rock

Launch date​:

Launch  mission:

Launch provider:

Launch location:

Launching state:

Launch vehicle COSPAR id:

19 Feb 2022

Antares 230+ / NG-17 Cygnus resupply mission

Northrop Grumman

Wallops Island, VA, USA

USA

2022-015A

Destination:

Host:

Host COSPAR id:

LEO, International Space Station (ISS)

International Space Station

1998-067A

Return date:

Return vehicle:

Landing Location:

Return vehicle COSPAR id:

Current status:

11 January 2023

Dragon CRS-26

Gulf of Mexico

2022-159A

Returned

Project partners:

Voyager Space
Nanoracks LLC
Moon Gallery Foundation

Title:

Artist:

Date:

Medium:

Dimensions:

Genre:

IAAA art style:

Collection:

COSPAR id:

Formations of the cup and the rock

Elina Alekseeva

2022

Selenite

1 x 1 x 1 cm

Sculpture

Moon Gallery

Are you the copyright holder of this artwork and do not wish to be included in this archive, then let us know by mail and we will remove your record.
 

Copyright Disclaimer: Exception to copyright for libraries, museums and archives. Copies for the preservation of cultural and scientific heritage: libraries, archives or museums can restore works or make digital copies of works in order to preserve and conserve them for future generations. More info here. This database and its content are protected. More info here. No copyright infringement intended.

Astronautical Art

Archiving Art in Outer Space

Copyright 2025 Astronautical Art Initiative vzw. All rights reserved.

bottom of page